The U.S. April 2013 premium sales numbers are in and Mercedes-Benz extended its lead over BMW.
Sales for the Mercedes brand rose 5.8 percent to 23,635 in April, while BMW posted a 10 percent increase to 23,225. The April results widened Mercedes’s 2013 lead to 4,695.
For April, BMW, Mercedes and even Audi saw a large increase in sales in their high-end market, the 7 Series, SL-Class and A8. BMW 7 Series sales rose 69 percent while Audi rose 30 percent. The sales for the SL-Class tripled last month.
Mercedes sales for the year through April gained 11 percent to 92,822. BMW’s 2013 deliveries rose 6.7 percent to 88,127. Audi reports a 14 percent increase in April or 13,157 units. The gains included 27 percent for the A5 sedan and 32 percent for the Q5 SUV. Sales for the year rose 15 percent to 47,343.
Porsche sold 4,032 vehicles in the U.S. in April, a monthly record, for a 17 percent gain.
Lexus continues its recovery and reported a 3.1 percent increase to 18,091 units. Since January, Lexus sold 74,831 vehicles, a 12 percent gain.
U.S. premium automaker Cadillac has seen large sales as well in April. The GM-owned brand reported an increase of 34 percent to 13,230 vehicles, helped by the ATS model which sold to 2,725 customers.
Acura brand boosted sales 14 percent to 13,899 last month.
Infiniti sold 7,844 vehicles, an increase of 10 percent from a year earlier.
Jaguar gained 6.3 percent to 1,141 units.
